A Heart Full of You
by Reading Lover 866
Summary: The Opera House is burning and Erik is forced onto the streets of Paris, where he meets and saves a young woman Eponine. Who may just be his savior. E/C and E/M Eponine Marius . Co-written by Kate Pendragon!
1. Two Lost in the Night

_****Author's Note: _Well, what a lovely day this is. I am updating a new story called A Heart Full of You! Now, before I say anything else I NEED to mention that this story **is co-written by my good friend Kate Pendragon. **Miss Kate came up with all the real ideas for this story, and really just asked if I'd like to write it. Most credit goes to her, with a bit for me. It will be updated on my account, though some chapter belong to her and her only. I have written this chapter 1, though. This is my chapter. But please tell us what you think! Review! Thanks.

-Jennifer

_**Chapter 1. Two Lost in the Night**_

Blackness. It surrounded him, suffocated him. He took a gasping breath as he turned to looked at the Opera Populaire, a once majestic building, now engulfed in raging flames. Suddenly, Erik felt something cool on his skin… rain. A small fall of rain had fallen from the cloudy nights sky, where there was no moon or stars. The outside was almost completely black – or at least it would be, had the fire not provided light.

Erik let a gasp escape his throat, and he pressed himself against the cold stone wall of a building. It felt strange, water falling upon his skin, thrown down from the heavens. He had never felt rain, never seen it, only heard the thunderous booms from down in his lair. He felt some of the water fall down his cheek, though this was hot. He must have been crying. Erik touched his own tears, feeling his chest rise up and down in uneven, raspy sobs.

She was gone. And now, he had to find refuge someone in Paris. And that was when the thought came to him.

_He was outside._

Outside, where people could see him. His hand instinctively went to his face, and he felt the pitted areas of his deformity. He had no mask. He was outside with no mask. He felt more tears fall down, and for one of the first times in his life, he felt something he never had: _fear._

Suddenly, he heard something. Someone's voice? He pressed himself farther into the shadows and listened carefully.

"**All my life I've only been pretending! Without me, his world will go on turning**

**A world that's full of happiness, that I have never – known!**

**I love him… I love him… I love him.**

**But only on my own"**

Erik studied someone, standing just beyond the shadows. She was covered in sot and dirt, but he could still se she was beautiful. Shining, bright blue eyes and long, straight raven hair. Tears caked her cheeks. Her voice was not beautiful - not like his Christine - but it had such deep emotion and hidden beauty, it was perfect. Erik watched her intently, fascinated.

Suddenly, he heard a noise. Footsteps running. "There's one!" A man in a uniform shouted, pointing at the girl. A man next to him raised his gun aimed toward her.

Before Erik new what he was doing, he leaped out of the shadows and knocked the girl down to the ground, just as the gunshot went off. She let out a small gasp, but did not resist when he took her hand and began to run.

"M-Monsieur!" The girl shouted, her voice choked as they ran. She had a accent, he noticed. Cockney.

Finally, the two reached a dark alleyway, and Erik stopped, gasping for breath.

"Monsieur..." The girl said, she couldn't see him quite clearly in the darkness. "Thank you, Monsieur. Thank you."

"E-Erik," Erik correct breathlessly.

The girl smiled, "Erik." Her voice sent a pang in his heart, as she smiled at him as though her were a good man instead of the beast her truly was. She spoke again, "My name is Eponine."

Erik nodded shortly, "Eponine. Do you live around these parts?"

"In Paris all my life. On the streets, wherever I can find." She answered.

Erik didn't reply for a long moment, but then he said, "Your welcome Eponine." He turned and began to walk away, when her hand caught his arm.

"No, Monsieur. Please." Her voice softened, "You saved my life, Monsieur Erik. Please do not go."

Erik sighed, his free hand moving to his face, "Eponine - "

"Your hand..." She whispered, her eyes shinning in the night. Her hand began to rise up, towards his face. "Why do you -" She stopped speaking when her hand touched the deformed side of his face, she did not move her hand away, but she did not move.

Erik pulled away violently, "I must go."

"No! Monsieur Erik!" Eponine's voice stopped him. "You... something is wrong... you have been hurt? Something with - "

"Eponine please. You do not understand." Erik began to walk away from her steadily.

"I do not mind!" She called after him, causing him to stop walking. He could hear her coming toward him, "I will not hate you for what you look like," She said softly. "Monsieur Erik, you have saved me. You are a good man. I..."

He turned toward her carefully, "I cannot - "

"You are afraid. I can sense it. But you see, Monsieur Erik, I am in your debt. I am your servant, Monsieur, for the kindness you have given me, a stranger." Her voice was soft and her eyes piercing. "Please, do not go, Monsieur Erik."

Erik closed his eyes. She meant what she said, didn't she? But still, what would happen if she saw his face? Would she run like all the others? Why should this girl be any different? Erik swallowed slowly, thinking of his answer. He turned to her and said simply, "Come with me, Eponine."


	2. Thoughts of You

_****Author's Note: _Here we are! Thanks a ton to **americanathgwarts** for being the first (and only) comment-er. This chapter was mostly written by Kate Pendragon, except the very last bit of the chapter about Eponine. So this is purely a " d'awwww " chapter, mostly a feel-sorry-for-Eponine and a suck-it-Christine-that's-what-you-get-for-leaving-Erik chapter lol. No REAL important things in the chapter, but next chapter will be more exciting I promise. I am typing it now XD Anyway please review!

-Jennifer (and Kate)

**/**

_**Chapter 2. Thoughts of You**_

"Where are we going, Monsieur?" Eponine asked. Erik made no reply. A few minutes later they stopped in front of a large brick house. Before Erik could knock the door swung open.

"There you are, Erik, I've been expecting you all night." Nadir exclaimed. "Now get in here before the police see you." Eponine followed Erik into the house.

"And who is this?" Nadir asked, noticing Eponine for the first time.

"Nadir, this is Eponine, Eponine this is my friend, Nadir Kahn."

"Nice to meet you, monsieur."

"Likewise, mademoiselle…please sit."

As Eponine took a seat, Nadir turned to Erik.

"Now tell me what happened?"

**/**

Everyone clapped as Aimee finished singing.

"Wonder as always, sister" Philippe said, rising to his feet.

"She has a improved a great deal, has she not?" Camilla, Aimee's older sister, said.

"She definitely has," Raoul said. "Hasn't she Christine?"

Christine only nodded. Aimee was the only one who noticed Christine's mood. As Philippe, Camilla, and Raoul continued to talk, Aimee went to sit by her future sister-in-law.

"Is something bothering you?" She asked. Christine shook her head. Aimee saw right through the act, but played along.

"Well, if you need someone to talk to, I'm here."

"Thank you, Aimee." Christine smiled.

The truth was Christine wasn't all right. She felt like something was missing. She knew that she should have felt right, after all, she was with Raoul. He loved her, and she loved him in return. But still something felt wrong. Christine never felt satisfied around Raoul and his family anymore, never felt whole. And of course, she knew why. It was what had happened only days earlier. Although, Raoul seemed to have forgotten everything. As if he could just stop thinking of all the horror of that fateful night. Christine watched him now, tilting her head off to the side. Didn't he ever wonder what happened to… well, to her Angel? Didn't he wonder if the Phantom would return to them, or if he would remain in the shadows a broken man?

Christine shuddered thinking of it, trying with all her might to block it out. But she just couldn't. She could still remember as clear as day how his voice had sounded – so empty, so sorrowful. He had been begging, pleading for her to stay. And she had just turned away.

"Christine?"

Christine looked up, "Oh. Yes Raoul?"

"Are you all right?"

"Yes. Of course."

Raoul smiled a little and kissed her forehead, "Good."

**/**

Eponine felt strange sleeping in a room like this. So decorated and expensive, she felt as though she were out of place in this lovely home. Her dark raven hair tumbled all around, and she whipped a strand out of her face. In the dim moonlight shining in through the window, Eponine looked at her hands. They were entirely clean, showing off pure white skin she had almost forgotten she had. She had become so used to being covered with sweat and sot, it felt almost unnatural to be clean again.

She ran her hand down a strand of her long dark hair. It was soft, silky. She smiled a little. It felt good to be in a nice home and bed again. To feel like she was worth something.

But then she stopped smiling, as a thought occurred to her. _Marius. _She bit her lip, he had been expecting for her to return to the barricades. What would he think? Would he be worried for? She let out a quiet, bitter laugh. No. He'd be more concerned of whether or not the letter was given to Cosette or not, not for Eponine herself.

And still, she thought of Marius. A friend, and still how she longed for him to see her for so much more. She had been told that she was beautiful before, but of course, it didn't matter unless the words had come from Marius's lips.

But they hadn't. All he could do was rave to Eponine about his darling Cosette, not knowing how it killed her inside to hear it. She had loved him for years now. But she always knew she was never a soft, tender woman like Cosette and the others. She was hard, cold. She didn't like to let anyone in. She didn't smile too often, and she never felt girlish. Perhaps that was why Marius never seemed to see her. He never really thought of her as a woman, but only as…

As what? Eponine asked herself, frowning.

Eponine sighed a little, feeling a tear prick her eyes. She wanted to wipe it away – she hated crying. But now, she just let it fall down her cheek. Her voice cracked and she was quiet as can be, but she sang, **"He was never mine to loose…**

**These are words he'll never say…**

**Not to me, not to me"**

More tears. Eponine drew in a breath and let it out, her breathing becoming ragged as she choked out the words, "**For it isn't a dream, his heart full of love**

**He will never…**

**Feel this way"**


End file.
